Editorials

Here’s The Story Behind That Blonde Michael Myers Mask From “Halloween 4”

Image 2 Comments

Halloween 4 was released theatrically around the time I was old enough to comprehend that a NEW Halloween film with Michael Myers was within my grasp. Being as how yours truly was 6-years-old at the time, apparently the maternal parental unit didn’t think it was a great idea to take me to the theater for the long-awaited return of The Shape. With the unfortunate flop of Season of the Witch, fans bitched and whined enough to bring back their pale-faced Haddonfield homicidal maniac. Now, again I was six, and none of that shit ran through my head as I had only seen the prior films with my Dad-the biggest Halloween fan in the universe. And I didn’t give two shits about any of that fanboy/girl bullshit. I just really wanted to see this film! Alas, pretty sure the mother didn’t want to deal with the dirty looks from theater patrons and opted for Oliver and Company instead.

BULLSHIT. K, it was an ok movie but it was lacking some serious George P. Wilbur malarkey.

Anyway, I got my fix a few months after the release at a birthday sleepover. My older, and very snotty cousin was turning eleven. Myself, being only six, stuck out and clearly didn’t belong there with the pre-teen crowd. However, because of family politics, she was forced to invite me. Which was fine with me because I was hanging out with the big girls! Upon my arrival, my uncle pulled me to the side and had stated he stopped at the video store for some late-night entertainment for us girls. He pulls out A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, and: TADA! Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers; stating that he had heard I was really wanting to see this and got it JUST FOR ME!

And I’ve watched it about 600 times since.

Now, let’s get down to business. If you’ve seen Halloween 4 as many times I have, you know of what I speak when it comes to the scene that sticks out like a sore thumb. Ahh yes, the blonde-haired Michael Myers in the schoolhouse that it seemed everyone in the audiences caught immediately yet somehow got past the cast, crew, and everyone in the editing studio. However, just in case you need a refresher, here’s the clip in question:

If you ever wondered what in the bleach-blonde fuck that was about, you’re definitely not alone and have the mystery solved for you. Several stories have made the rounds giving an explanation for the California fun-in- the-sun Myers, however, the one that rings the most truth is that it was simply a mistake from the crew and budget restraints didn’t allow for a reshoot. According to the January 88′ issue of Gorezone magazine and then confirmed via Michael-Myers.net, Don Post Studios was commissioned to make a slew of Myers’ masks for the movie. I’m guessing the people in charge had never seen a Halloween film, which actually sounds really irresponsible if that were the case, because the studios had sent the film a set of “pink masks with white hair”?!

Anywho, the make-up coordinators paint over this pink monstrosity with white paint, (which explains the really PALE version this time around) and the hair brown to get the desired look. In regard to the school-scene, what you’re seeing is the ACTUAL unconverted mask. Why it was just sitting around on set, and no one had noticed that, “hey, this doesn’t look right“, might be the biggest mystery here.

But that, boils and ghouls, is pretty much the sum of it. Just a blunder from the production crew and restricted shoot guidelines. Even so, it still serves as a fun, little laughable moment in what is a truly great sequel in the franchise.


Now that you’ve made it this far, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for reading and sharing my crap for the past few years, as Nightmare Nostalgia has been honored by gracing Feedspot’s Top 100 Horror Blogs and Websites For Horror Fans on the Internet! What I do is from pure passion and my desire to use the blog scene to spread positivity, fun things to read and reminisce on, and talk about horror film culture is my total pleasure and will be doing it until life says I can’t anymore. Thank you everyone and Happy Halloween Month!

Editorials

THAT TIME KING KONG ROBBED A HOME RUN

Image 1 Comment

I know what you’re thinking: Jessica Lange is incredibly distracting. ‘Tis true, and an excellent guess, but you would be wrong. The American League Championship Series gets underway tomorrow night, but twenty years ago I was parked in front of the television hoping the Red Sox would oust the Evil Empire in the 2003 ALCS and head to the Fall Classic for the first time since JASON LIVES (1986) hit theatres.

Alas, that wouldn’t transpire until the following October when Boston became the first team in major league history to storm back from a 3-games-to-none deficit to win a playoff series. But Game 7 of the ’03 ALCS was neck-and-neck, and when it slipped into extra innings, I noticed that KING KONG ’76 was on AMC.

The rest, as they say, is part of dumbass history.

It began innocently enough. Between innings I would flip over to catch a minute or two of Rick Baker in a gorilla suit, but as extra frames stretched deeper into the night, I started clicking “last” on the remote between pitches. To be fair, this was before the advent of the pitch clock, so between mound visits and Nomar Garciaparra’s rain delay routine — there was time. Or so I thought.

After Mariano Rivera finished his third inning of work out of the bullpen–setting the Red Sox down in order in the top of the 11th–I flipped over to AMC..

Therein lies the problem: Kong had reached the World Trade Center. How does one not get lost in that scene? It happened to me. And about the time Jeff Bridges put his hands on the glass in wide-eyed terror it came flooding back — “shit, the game!”

The next image on my screen was Aaron Boone rounding second base as the Bronx lost its collective mind. The Yankees’ third baseman had just blasted a knuckleball over the left field wall off of the late Tim Wakefield (it still hurts to say that). The pennant belonged to New York and I had missed one of the greatest moments in baseball history.

While it’s true Florida would take the title from the Bombers (at Yankee Stadium in a delicious twist) and the Red Sox would exorcise their own demons the following fall, it didn’t change the fact that I didn’t see Boone’s bomb with my own yes. And Kong still fell,

And not for nothin’, but ’03 represented Hideki Matsui’s rookie season in the bigs. Why do I mention this? Matsui’s nickname was Godzilla. King of the Monsters.

One will fall, indeed.

The words Dino De Laurentiis shared with the Philadelphia Inquirer promoting KING KONG held true 27 years later–and remain true today: “when monkey die, everybody cry.”

Editorials

WE NEED A CREIGHTON DUKE ORIGIN STORY

Image 2 Comments

Pouring out of theatres, we FRIDAY freaks have clearly carried all things Voorhees with us over the years, but let’s be honest, the Camp Crystal Lake saga isn’t exactly the sort that haunts you.

With the exception of a single line: “Son of a bitch. You remember me?”

It’s been 30 years since Creighton Duke blurted those words toward the conclusion of JASON GOES TO HELL (1993) and damn it, we need answers!

I’m not worried about the Deadite bullshit Adam Marcus wants everyone to buy into because — no. Let’s talk about the unseen events leading to the question Duke handcuffed Jason with before Kane Hodder donned Freddy’s sweater and glove and hauled the hock to Hades.

Remember me. The implication is pretty obvious: Creighton Duke and Jason Voorhees have crossed paths before. How did that come to pass? What happened? How long has Duke been in pursuit?

Dude captured six reviled serial killers, so let’s get a glimpse of the past glory that led to Duke’s Loomis-like obsession. How did the baddest bounty hunter this side of Dog and Boba Fett so confidently determine “in a Voorhees he was born, through a Voorhees may he be reborn, and only by the hands of a Voorhees will he die”? Where did that theory come from because Duke seems pretty damn confident he’s cracked the code.

What about talk of meat suits and “I don’t think so” after our beloved momma’s boy suffered “explosive trauma” after being blowed up? Again, seems rather evident this ain’t Duke’s first rodeo.

Also, why does Creighton’s idea of scoring digits differ from ours?

How in the hell can Steven Williams still play the part? That cat hasn’t aged a day in three decades. Whatever elixir Paul Rudd is sippin’ on, he got it from Mr. X.

And should we get said origin story complete with a reimagining of Jason being lured to his “demise,” may I suggest Lauren LaVera for Julie Michaels’ role? Just go back and watch because the resemblance is uncanny.

Look, there are still those who dislike Duke because it should have been Tommy Jarvis, but we can love both my fellow FRIDAY aficionados. Real talk, ‘m not concerned with what happened to Paul (John Furey) at the end of PART 2 because “who is Creighton Duke” remains the only question the Crystal Lake collection has ever dangled in front of us that I still ponder.

We need that Williams intensity and black duster revived because Creighton Duke is one of the few truly fascinating characters the FRIDAY franchise has produced.

Now you know what I want and why I need it. Who’s with me?